Alan Ball

LOS ANGELES – FEB 5: Ball at the “Here And Now” Premiere Screening at the Directors Guild of America on February 5, 2018 in Los Angeles, CA, kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Alan Erwin Ball

Place of Birth: Marietta, Georgia, U.S.

Date of Birth: May 13, 1957

Ethnicity: English, Scottish, German, Swiss-German, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, distant French

Alan Ball is an American television and film writer and director, and playwright. He created the shows Oh, Grow Up; Six Feet Under, True Blood, annd Here and Now, all of which he wrote for and directed episodes of; and also wrote for the shows Grace Under Fire and Cybill. He wrote the film American Beauty, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay; and directed and wrote the films Towelhead and Uncle Frank. He also wrote the plays Cherokee County, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, and All That I Will Ever Be.

Alan is the son of Mary and Frank Ball, who were aircraft inspectors.

Alan’s paternal grandfather was William Arthur Ball (the son of John Hampton Ball and Mary Emily/Emma Clark). William was born in North Carolina. John was born in North Carolina, the son of Nicholas Ball and Drucilla Beall/Bell. Mary was born in North Carolina, the daughter of Francis Finley Clark, whose parents were Scottish, and of Eliza Jane Buchanan, whose father was also Scottish.

Alan’s paternal grandmother was Lena Reynolds (the daughter of William Andrew Reynolds and Lillian Virginia Jerrett). Lena was born in North Carolina. Alan’s great-grandfather William was born in North Carolina, the son of William Taswell Reynolds and Dorcas Wilson. Lillian was born in North Carolina, the daughter of James Monteval “Montraville” Jarrett and Lucinda Owenby.

Alan’s maternal grandfather was Chester Ward Beacham (the son of Jesse Garlington Beacham and Tallulah James Anderson). Chester was born in South Carolina. Jesse was born in South Carolina, the son of Philip Pinckney Beacham and Mary Ann Westmoreland. Tallulah was born in South Carolina, the daughter of James Milligan Anderson and Sarah Elizabeth Leonard.

Alan’s maternal grandmother was Bessie E. Erwin (the daughter of Frank Jewell Erwin and Alice M. England). Bessie was born in Georgia. Frank was born in Georgia, the son of James Calvin Erwin and Harriett N. Smith. Alice was born in Georgia, the daughter of John England and Clarissa L. Butt.

Sources: Death record of Alan’s sister – http://findagrave.com

Genealogy of Alan’s maternal grandparents, Chester Ward Beacham and Bessie E. Erwin – http://familysearch.org